Trump says Palestinian aid is ‘on the table’

At the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Thursday, President Trump called out the Palestinian leadership for their entitled attitude about receiving U.S. aid, along with their refusal to meet with Vice President Mike Pence.

President Trump made the comments as he was meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on the sidelines of the major conference. The two world leaders expressed gratitude for the repaired U.S.-Israel alliance.

.@POTUS: "When [the Palestinians] disrespected us a week ago by not allowing our great @VP to see them, and we give them hundreds of millions of dollars in aid and support… that money's not going to them unless they sit down and negotiate peace." https://t.co/lItdoJfZwkpic.twitter.com/PN3pFVrcpe

Netanyahu thanked Trump for standing up for Israel against the United Nations’ “house of slander.”

Trump praised Israel for standing with the U.S. He expressed concern over potential waste in hundreds of millions in aid money to the Palestinians, after they “disrespected us” by refusing to meet with the vice president.

The president then issued an ultimatum to the Palestinians:

“That money is on the table, and that money is not going to them, unless they sit down and negotiate peace. Because I can tell you that Israel does want to make peace, and they’re going to have to want to make peace, too.”

At the same time, U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley arrived at U.N. headquarters Thursday with a message to the Palestinians: The White House’s patience with their leadership is running thin.

Haley argued that the “single most important element” for Israeli-Palestinian peace is “leaders who have the will to do what’s needed to achieve peace.”